Superimposed axial-circumferential beading of cans



L. J. JAVORIK Aug. 15, 1967 SUPERIMPOSED AXIALCIRCUMFERENTIAL BEADING OFCANS Filed D80. 28, 1964 United States Patent SUPERIMPOSEDAXlAL-CIRCUMFERENTIAL READING F CANS Leslie J. JaVorik, Chicago, Ill.,assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporationof New York Filed Dec. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 421,525 8 Claims. (Cl. 220-72)ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE The body walls of a can body are strengthenedto resist external distorting stresses by a beading configurationwherein a series of parallel axial beads is superimposed perpendicularto a series of continuous, uninterrupted parallel circumferential beads.The beads in either or both directions may follow a sinusoidal pathalong the body wall. The depth of beading at each intersection of theaxial and circumferential beads is equal to the algebraic sum of thedepths of the individual beads.

This invention relates to a beaded cylindrical container, and, moreparticularly, to a can having its body wall strengthened and reinforcedby means of a novel beading configuration comprising superimposed axialand circumferential beads.

In the manufacture of cans for use in the packing of foodstuffs,beverages and the like, it is desirable, from the standpoint of botheconomy and convenience, to employ metal plate as thin and as lightweight as possible. The major drawback to the extensive use of thinner,lighter weight plate is that conventional smooth-surfaced vcylindricalcans made therefrom do not ordinarily have sufiicient strength towithstand the high internal vacuum ,and/or mechanical abuse to whichthey are normally subjected. These forces and pressures cause panelingor circumferential collapse of the round can body into a polygon shape.In order to reinforce and strengthen the can body against paneling andto maintain its roundness, and yet avoid the use of heavier bodystock,it is common practice toprovide the can body with one or morecircumferential beads. The use of such beading, while necessary in cansmade from thin light weight metal plate for satisfactory panelingresistance, does, however, have a detrimental effect upon the axialstrength or the resistance of the can to crushing under high canstacking conditions in storage. For example, an extent ofcircumferential beading suicient to provide a 200 percent increase inpaneling resistance over that of an unbeaded can, may result in as muchas a 50 percent or more decrease in axial load resistance. Hence, inthose instances where the can, in its `unbeaded form would haveinadequate or even barely sufficient axial strength for the particularpurpose involved, use of thinner, lighter weight metal plate has notheretofore been possible.

Various attempts have been made to modify the conventionalcircumferentially beaded can so as to obtain adequate axial strength sothat the can will not crush in storage and yet retain as much panelingresistance as possible. The most successful of these proposals thus farhas been an interrupted beading configuration comprising a series ofparallel circumferential beads, each one of such beads containing one ormore interruptions therein and thus havinga total length somewhat lessthan the cirycumference of the can. These interruption or no-beadingspots are usually staggered axially along the can body wall so thatadjacent beads do not have their interruptions at points along the sameaxial line on the can body. By means of this type of arrangement, it ispossible, for example, by employing interrupted beads each having a3,335,902 Patented Aug. 15, 1967 total length of approximately 70percent of the circumference of the can, to increase the axial strengthof a conventional circumferentially beaded can by 70 percent at theexpense of a 45 percent decrease in paneling resistance, or, byemploying interrupted beads each having a total length of approximately50 percent of the cans circumference, to obtain an 80 percent increasein axial strength at the expense of a percent decrease in panelingresistance. When considered in comparison with an unbeaded can, theabove two examples represent a percent increase in paneling resistancewith a corresponding l5 percent decrease in axial strength for the '70perl cent beading, and a 30 percent increase in paneling resistance witha corresponding 10 percent decrease in axial strength for the 50 percentbeading. However, with an interrupted beading configuration, it is notpossible, on the basis of an unbeaded can, to effect a simultaneousincrease in both paneling resistance and axial strength, nor toeffect anincrease in paneling resistance greater than about 5 percent withoutalso obtaining some decrease in axial strength.

It is an object of this invention to provide a can with a novel beadingconfiguration which, for any given total amplitude of beading, willresult in an optimum combination of resistance to paneling andresistance to axial loads.

A further object of this invention is to provide a can beaded in a novelconfiguration so as to exhibit increased axial strength as compared to aconventional circumferentially beaded can, with a minimum accompanyingloss of paneling resistance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a can beaded in a novelconfiguration so as to exhibit a maximum increase in paneling resistanceas compared to an unbeaded can, for any given accompanying loss of axialstrength.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a can beaded in anovel configuration so as to exhibit a substantial increase in panelingresistance as compared to an unbeaded can, without any accompanying lossof axial strength.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a can beaded in anovel configuration so -as to exhibit a sirnultaneous increase in bothpaneling resistance and axial strength, as compared to an unbeaded can.

The aforegoing objects are achieved by the beading configuration of thepresent'invention, which comprises a series of superimposed axial andcircumferential beads. This conguration makes use of the same totalamplitude of beading as is used in the conventional circumferentialbeading configuration, but, instead of employing it all ascircumferential beads, it apportions this amplitude betweencircumferential beads and axial beads in such relative proportions as toprovide the desired combination of resistance to paneling and resistanceto axial loads. In other words, a specified percentage of total beading,depending upon the desired properties of the can, is removed from aconventional circumferentially beaded can and superimposed, in aperpendicular or axial direction, over the remaining amplitude ofcircumferential beading, as a number of beads -in parallelcircumferential relation around the can body. The portion ofcircumferential beading to be transposed into axial beading ispreferably rnade available by reducing the depth of the circumferentialbeads. Similar effects can, however, be obtained by reducing either thenumber or width of the circumferential beads, or any combination ofthese three beading factors.

The beads in either direction may be either all outwardly extending, orall inwardly extending, or alternatingly outwardly and inwardlyextending. Also they may be spaced apart or immediately adjacent to oneanother. The

most preferred form of the beading configuration of the presentinvention is where the beads, in both the circumferential direction andin the axial direction, are immediately adjacent to one another and arealternatingly -outwardly and inwardly extending so that each individualbead in the configuration, whether circumferential or axial, follows asinusoidal path along the can body.

The invention, in its preferred forms, is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical can body having its bodywall strengthened and reinforced by the superimposedaxial-circumferential beading configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken alongline 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing one form of circumferential beading that canbe used in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, showing a modified form of circumferentialbeading that can be used in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. l,showing one form of axial beading that can be used in accordance withthis invention.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, showing a modified form of axial beadingthat lcan be used in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawings, the can illustrated therein has a generallycylindrical body 11 having its opposite ends closed in a conventionalmanner. The can body 11 is provided with a series of parallel,continuous, uninterrupted circumferential beads 12, and also with aseries of vertically disposed axial beads 13 which are arranged inparallel -circumferential relation around the can. The axial beads 13are perpendicular to the circumferential beads 12, and extenduninterruptedly from above the uppermost circumferential bead to belowthe lowermost circumferential bead, crossing and being superimposed uponeach of the circumferential beads at superimposed beading areas 14 insuch a manner that the depth of superimposed beading area 14 is equal tothe algebraic sum of the depths of circumferential bead 12 and axialbead 13.

In one form of circumferential beading, shown in FIG. 2, thecircumferential beads 12 are spaced apart and are outwardly extending. Amodified form of lcircumferential beading is shown in FIG. 3 where thecircumferential beads 12 are immediately adjacent to one another and arealternatingly outwardly and inwardly extending. In both FIG. 2 and FIG.3, the axial bead 13 is shown as being outwardly extending, with thedepth of each superimposed beading area 14 being equal to the algebraicsum of the depths of axial bead 13 and the respective circumferentialbead 12. With the form of circumferential beading illustrated in FIG. 3,each individual axial bead 13 follows a sinusoidal path down the canbody from the uppermost circumferential bead to the lowermostcircumferential bead.

In FIG. 4, one form of axial beading is shown where the axial beads 13are spaced apart and are outwardly extending. A modified form of axialbeading is shown in FIG. 5 where the axial beads 13 are immediatelyadjacent to one another and are alternatingly outwardly and inwardlyextending. In both FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the circumferential bead 12 isshown as being outwardly extending, with the depth of each superimposedbeading area 14 being equal to the algebraic sum of the depths ofcircumferential bead 12 and the respective axial bead 13. With the formof axial beading illustrated in FIG. 5, each individual circumferentialbead 12 follows a sinusoidal path around the can body.

The relative proportions of the total amplitude of beading in eachdirection may be varied considerably, depending upon the desiredproperties of the can. Thus, the can may have the greater percentage ofits total amplitude of beading in the form of circumferential beadswhere resistance to paneling is the primary consideration, or it mayhave the greater percentage of its total amplitude of beading in theform of axial beads where resistance to axial loads is the primaryconsideration. Furthermore, for any given total amplitude of beading ineither direction, the individual factors that contribute to such totalamplitude, i.e., the number, width and depth of the beads, may be variedconsiderably from those shown in the drawings.

The beading configuration of the present invention may be impressed inthe can body by any of the commonly employed bead-forming techniques.For example, the beads may be formed in the can body blank by stampingor rolling before the can body is formed. Alternatively, the beads maybe formed in the already formed can body by such methods as explosionforming, pneumatic forming, or magnetic impulse or electrodynamicforming.

The superimposed axial-circumferential beading configuration of thepresent invention represents a substantial improvement over previouslyknown modifications of the conventional circumferential beadingconfiguration in regard to minimizing the loss in paneling resistancecaused by an increase in axial strength. By means of superimposedaxial-circumferential beading, it has been found, for example, that acircumferential to axial beading ratio of 70:30 will provide an 80percent increase in the axial strength of a conventionalcircumferentially beaded cam with an accompanying loss in panelingresistance of as little as 40 percent (as compared with the 60 percentpaneling resistance loss required by interrupted beading in order toobtain the same 80 percent increase in axial strength); and that,similarly, a :25 circumferential to axial beading ratio will provide a70 percent increase in the axial strength of a conventionalcircumferentially beaded can with an accompanying loss in panelingresistance of as little as 35 percent (as compared with 45 percentpaneling resistance loss required by interrupted beading in order toobtain the same 70 percent increase in axial strength). To state thisimprovement in another way, i.e., on the basis of an unbeaded can, atthe expense of a 10 percent loss in axial strength, superimposedaxial-circumferential beading with la 70:30 circumferential to axialbeading ratio will provide an increase in paneling resistance of as muchas percent, as compared with the corresponding increase of only 30percent obtained with interrupted beading; and, similarly, at theexpense of a 15 percent loss in axial strength, superimposedaxial-circumferential beading with a 75 :25 circumferential to axialbeading ratio will provide an increase in paneling resistance of as muchas percent, as compared with the corresponding increase of only 65percent obtained with interrupted beading. In addition, superimposedaxial-circumferential beading with a 65:35 circumferential to axialbeading ratio will provide an increase in paneling resistance of as muchas 60 percent, on the basis of an unbeaded can, without any accompanyingloss of axial strength at all, whereas with interrupted beading it isnot possible to effect an increase in paneling resistance greater thanabout 5 percent without also obtaining some decrease in axial strength.Moreover, while it is not at all possible with interrupted beading toeffect, on the basis of an unbeaded can, a simultaneous increase in bothpaneling resistance and axial strength, superimposed.axial-circumferential beading with a 50:50 beading ratio will provide asimultaneous increase of as much as 30 percent each of both panelingresistance and axial strength. When this last comparison is furtherconsidered in connection with the fact pointed out above that a 30percent increase in paneling resistance can be obtained with interruptedbeading only at the expense of a 10 percent loss in axial strength, itis readily apparent that the superimposed axial-circumferential beadingconfiguration of the present invention, which requires no greater totalamplitude of beading than that employed in a conventionalcircumferential beading configuration, provides an optimum combinationof resistance to paneling and resistance to axial loads.

Itis to be understood that the foregoing is a description of thepreferred embodiments of the invention and that various modificationsmay be made without departing from its spirit and scope.

I claim:

1. A container having a cylindrical body portion which is closed at oneend and intended to be hermetically sealed, said body portion beingstrengthened and reinforced by means of a beading configurationcomprising a series of parallel, continuous, uninterrupted,circumferential beads, and a series of axial beads disposed verticallyin parallel circumferential relation around said body portion and inperpendicular relation to said circumferential beads, each of said axialbeads extending uninterruptedly from above the uppermost circumferentialbead to below the lowermost circumferential bead and crossing and beingsuperimposed upon each of said circumferential beads in such a mannerthat the depth of beading at each crossing of an axial bead and acircumferential bead is equal to the algebraic sum of the depths of saidcircumferential bead and said axial bead.

2. A container as described in claim 1 wherein at least one half of thetotal amplitude of beading on said body portion is in the form ofcircumferential beads.

3. A container as described in claim 1 wherein the ratio of theamplitude of circumferential beading to the amplitude of axial beadingis such as to provide the container with substantially increasedpaneling resistance, as compared to the same container unbeaded, withoutany accompanying loss of axial strength.

4. A container as described in claim 1 wherein the ratio of theamplitude of circumferential beading to the amplitude of axial beadingis such as to provide the lcontainer with simultaneously increasedpaneling resistance and axial strength, as compared to the samecontainer unbeaded.

5. A container as described in claim 1 wherein all of the beads in atleast one direction are outwardly extending and are spaced apart.

6. A container as described in claim 1 wherein all of the beads in atleast one direction are alternatingly outwardly and inwardly extendingand are immediately adjacent to one another so that each individual beadin the other direction follows a sinusoidal path along said bodyportion.

7. A container as described in claim 1 wherein all of the beads in bothdirections are outwardly extending and are spaced apart.

8. A container as described in claim 1 wherein all of the beads in bothdirections are alternatingly outwardly and inwardly extending and areimmediately adjacent to one another .so that each individual bead in theconfiguration follows a sinusoidal path along said body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,041,347 10/ 1912 Potter 220-721,649,292 ll/ 1927 Draper 220-72 1,651,521 12/ 1927 Girardville 220-32,063,013 12/ 1936 Cooper 220-72 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.JAMES R. GARRE'IT, Examz'nert

1. A CONTAINER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL BODY PORTION WHICH IS CLOSED AT ONEEND AND INTENDED TO BE HERMETICALLY SEALED, SAID BODY PORTION BEINGSTRENGTHENED AND REINFORCED BY MEANS OF A BEADING CONFIGURATIONCOMPRISING A SERIES OF PARALLEL, CONTINUOUS, UNINTERRUPTED,CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEADS, AND A SERIES OF AXIAL BEADS DISPOSED VERTICALLYIN PARALLEL CIRCUMFERENTAL RELATION AROUND SAID BODY PORTION AND INPERPENDICULAR RELATION TO SAID CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEADS, EACH OF SAID AXIALBEADS EXTENDING UNINTERRUPTED FROM ABOVE THE UPPERMOST CIRCUMFERENTIALBEAD TO BELOW THE LOWERMOST CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEAD AND CROSSING AND BEINGSUPER-